Tonight: Graphic Contents Exhibition

May 26, 2015

Pic: Katie Parrish

The Graphic Contents exhibition opens tonight with a launch next Tuesday at 1000 Pound Bend as part of the launch of the Melbourne Emerging Writers Festival.

"Australia’s comics scene is a small but vital one. Come check out our exhibition Graphic Contents Express, running from Tuesday 26 May – Friday 5 June. A literal visual feast, it will showcase work from Lachlan Conn, Mandy Ord, Chris Gooch, Katie Parrish, Josh Santospirito, Nicky Minus, Simon Hanselmann, Jo Waite, Merv Heers, Leigh Rigozzi and more in all its graphic glory.

The exhibition will be launched on Tuesday 2 June with readings by Mandy Ord, Merv Heers, Jo Waite, Leigh Rigozzi and more."

More info on the Emerging Writers Festival Site.

Festival of the Photocopier Zine Fair 2015 part two

April 14, 2015

There were a lot more comic people at this years Sticky zine fair, apologies to the hundred odd folk I missed. Here's a few of the comics folk I managed to get holiday snaps of.

Rose Wu, Rosa Hughes-Currie and Linda Lew

Ben Juers and Michael Hawkins

Michael Fikaris

Merv Heers

Simon Hanselmann, JMKE, and HTML Flowers

Ele Jenkins

Nicky Minus and Bailey Sharp

Minicomics Mogul Andrew Fulton

Chris Gooch draws the zine scene

Phil Bentley

Jess Parker, Ben Hutchings, Scott Reid, and Captain David Blumenstein (focus optional)

Brendan Halyday and Frank Candiloro

Brent "The Destroyer" Willis

Ive Sorocuk

Jase Harper and James Andre

Nicky Minus and Sam Wallman

Bobby N

HTML Flowers

Marc Pearson

Tim Molloy

Not Matt...by Michael Fikaris

After the wonderful afternoon selling good comics to good Melbourne folk, Brent Willis and I headed over to Port Melbourne to purchase healthy salads. In a terrifying confrontation we found Brent's toughest of the tough anti-anti-heroes from THRUST JUSTICE had escaped the page and entered our reality! We hastily purchased out healthy salads and retreated to the safety of my Art Deco apartment on the waterfront.

Thrust Justice in the "COMICS"

Thrust Justice in "THE REAL WORLD"

To learn more about Thrust Justice purchase a copy to read with your healthy salad from the Pikitia store.

Tonight at The State Library of Victoria: Ledger Awards

April 10, 2015

The revamped Ledger Awards are on tonight at the State Library of Victoria. The ceremony starts at 7:30pm and features a performance of the Shipwright and the Banshee by cartoonistmuso's Christopher Downes and Joshua Santospirito.

FB event page.

Among the sponsors of this years awards are the wonderful Jeffries Printing in Sydney. Admire their stunning Pat Grant graphics below:

The shortlist for the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards are:

Ambient Yeast. Pat Grant (self published)

The ANZAC Legend. Dave Dye (self published)

Art as Life. MP Fikaris (Silent Army)

At Work Inside Our Detention Centres: A Guard’s Story. Sam Wallman, Pat Grant et al. (The Global Mail)

Awkwood. Jase Harper (Milk Shadow Books)

Brothers. Andrew Fulton (self published)

Blood and Bone. Tom O’Hern (San Kessto)

Bug. Scarlette Baccini (self published)

Burger Force #15-18. Jackie Ryan (self published)

Captain Congo: The Perils of Pug. Ruth Starke, writer. Greg Holfeld, artist. (from The School Magazine)

Dark Hope Legacies. Phil Spinks, Chris James Melkizedek (Dark Hope Comics)

Dies Horny and Afraid. Andrew Fulton (self published)

Fortress of Regrets. Katie Parrish (self published)

Frankie Holliday. Nic Lawson (self published)

Gasoline Eye Drops. Chris Gooch (self published)

Gazer. Carla McRae (self published)

Gente Corriente. Vincent Zabus, writer. Thomas Campi, artist. (Ediciones La Cúpula)

In the Tasmania. Christopher Downes (self published)

Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land Save Xmas. Dean Rankine (Action Lab/Danger Zone)

Kudelka and First Dog’s Spiritual Journey. Jon Kudelka and Andrew Marlton (self published)

Megahex. Simon Hanselmann (Fantagraphics)

Modern Polaxis. Sutu et al. (self published)

Monster Zero. Frank Candiloro (FrankenComics)

Mr Unpronounceable and the Sect of the Bleeding Eye. Tim Molloy (Milk Shadow Books)

Ned Kelly. Monty Wedd (Comicoz)

Neomad #3. Sutu & Love Punks (Gestalt)

OI OI OI #2 .Various (Comicoz)

Onna-bugeisha. Frank Candiloro (FrankenComics)

Pinocchio. David Chauvel, writer. Tim McBurnie, artist. (Editions Delcourt)

Pistoleras. Frank Candiloro (FrankenComics)

Seven #4. Alisha Jade (self published)

The Squidder. Ben Templesmith (44Flood/IDW)

Squishzine Brunstown. Various (Squishface Studio)

Teen Dog #1-3. Jake Lawrence (Boom! Studios)

Thistle. Sarah Howell (self published)

Tristian and the Gaza Strip. David Blumenstein (self published)

Two Posh Old Ladies Who Found Themselves in a Bit of a Zombie Apocalypse. Nic Lawson (self published)

Very Quiet, Very Still. Chris Gooch (Optic Pop)

We’m. Andrew Fulton (self published)

“When is A Door Not a Door?” Jen Breach, Douglas Holgate (from Explorer: The Hidden Doors, Amulet Books)

Paper Trail

January 2, 2015

Roger Langridge writes about the year to come.

All Star Comics in Melbourne are my LCS, happy to see them relocating to a bigger main street premises at, ground level, 53 Queen Street in 2015. The Eisner winning All Star are a great example of comics retailing done right and well worth seeking out if you are visiting Melbourne.

Eleri Harris live draws the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.

Comicoz announce an ambitious coffee table anthology of Australian cartoonists for 2015. (picture possibly not relevant but it was handy.)

Catching up on 2014 links: AV Club interview Simon Hanselmann.

Above: Examples of John Dixon's Crimson Comet comics from the 1940's. I mentioned it yesterday but as an excuse to run some more lovely John Dixon art from yesteryear: Nat Karmichael via Comicoz recently shared the news of veteran Australian cartoonist John Dixon entering into palliative care in his Californian home. Nat has suggested any fans of Dixon or Australian comics in general to send well wishing cards to Dixon via Comicoz.